Metal ski



H. RIHA METAL SKI Oct. 6, 1964 Filed Aug. 17, 1962 United States Patent 3,151,873 METAL SKI Hans Riha, Sebekstrasse 3, Steyr, Austria Filed Aug. 17, 1962, Ser. No. 217,717 Claims priority, application Austria June 20, 1962 Claims. (Cl. 280-11.13)

This invention relates to a metal ski which comprises a box section member consisting of two interconnected metal sections, and edge strips extending throughout the length of the ski and secured to the outside of said member and covering the side walls thereof, the box section member comprising a bottom part generally U-shaped in cross-section and having upright side walls which are undulated transversely to the longitudinal direction as far as to the underside of the web and a platelike top part which is connected to outwardly angled flanges of the bottom part to form side ledges which protrude on both sides beyond the box section member and carry the edge strips, which are preferably made from flexible light metal.

This construction of the ski has the essential advantage that the box section ski body has a high resistance to torsion so that it does not tend to flutter and that the undulations in the side walls impart a sufficient flexibility to the ski because the side Walls aflord only a small resistance to bending on edge; besides, the undulations and the provision of the edge strips ensure a sufiicient resiliency and shock absorption.

In the known ski described above, the top and bottom parts of the box section member are interconnected by folding the edge portions together and the edge strips are secured to the resulting side ledges with the aid of screws, rivets or the like, and are preferably additionally connected at the bottom by ties lying in transverse grooves of the bottom part. Whereas such a ski inherently meets all requirements, its manufacture is rather complicated and requires a large amount of working time. Because the edge strips can be connected only at intervals to the side ledges by the rivets, only small relative movements of the box section member relative to the edge strips are possible; this may adversely affect the running properties. Finally, the rivets, screws and ties have a certain weight, which does not contribute to the running properties of the ski but in the previous construction is more or less inevitable.

The disadvantages set forth are eliminated according to the invention in that the edge strips extend upwardly beyond the side ledges and have each a slide-in groove or the like facing the box section member, in which groove the associated side ledge can be clamped. By this construction, the manufacture of the ski is substantially facilitated because the top and bottom parts of the box section member can be connected to each other and the edge strips can be secured to the side ledges by adhesion, using a metal adhesive, and owing to the clamping in the groove the adhered areas are permanently in compression and covered toward the outside. By the clamping, the manufacture is further simplified because the edge strips themselves perform the function of keeping the adhered areas under pressure until the adhesive has set. Finally, one surface of each edge strip forms at the same time a continuous outside surface of the ski whereas there was previously a butt joint on the outside between the edge strip and the side ledge. Besides, the clamping results in such a good connection between the edge strips and the box section member that the previously provided ties can be eliminated. Relative movements between the box section member and the edge strips are precluded.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the edge strips have at the top a continuous angle-shaped extenice sion or a plurality of longitudinally spaced, angle-shaped extensions, which extension or extensions are integral with the edge strip and have one flange aligned with the outside boundary surface of the edge strip and are integral with these strips whereas the other flange of the extension or extensions embraces the top part of the ski. A division of one continuous angle-shaped extension into a plurality of extensions separated by gaps is suitable, e.g., when the flexibility of the edge strips and of the entire ski is to be increased.

In order to provide a suitable clamping action, it is also desirable if the side ledges of the box section member taper like a wedge toward the outer end and the slide-in grooves or the like of the edge strips taper similarly toward their bottom.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown on the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a perspective fragmentary view of a ski of the invention, partly in transverse section;

FIG. 2 shows the ski of FIG. 1 in fragmentary transverse section on a scale greater than that of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of the ski of FIG. 1 on a scale much smaller than that of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 shows a modified ski of the invention in a view corresponding to that of FIG. 3.

The following more detailed description of an embodiment of the invention initially refers to FIGS. 1 to 3.

The ski body comprises two sheet metal sections 1, 2. The bottom part 1 is approximately U-shaped in crosssection and has outwardly angled edge flanges 3, a guiding groove 4 along the center of its bottom face and undulations 5 extending transversely to the longitudinal direction of the ski in the upright flange portions to increase the flexibility. The top part 2 consists of a flat plate and is secured adjacent to its longitudinal edges 6 to the edge flanges 3. Each of the side ledges formed by parts 3, 6 is received by a groove 7 of an edge strip 9, and secured in the groove by adhesive 8. The groove is tapered toward its bottom. The edge strip 9 carries at its top an angle-shaped extension 19 having a horizontal flange portion which extends continuously and substantially throughout the length of the ski. The flange portion forms one boundary surface of the groove 7 and in the completed ski embraces the edge portion 6 from above. In addition to being clamped, the side ledges 3, 6 are adhesively secured in the groove 7. The top part of the ski body 2 is provided with a plastic covering 11 between the horizontal flange portions of the angle-shaped extensions 10. Each edge strip 9 carries further a reinforcing edge member 12. Between these reinforcing edge members, a tread facing 14 is attached, which covers the web of the bottom part 1, the underside of the edge strips 9 and the gaps 13 left between these parts.

The modified ski illustrated in top view in FIG. 4 differs from the ski described hereinabove in more detail by edge strips 9' each of which has a plurality of angle shaped extensions lit, whose flange portions embrace the corresponding edge portion 6 from above. A plastic covering 11' conforming to the extensions 1t) extends between the same on the top part of the ski body.

What is claimed is:

l. A metal ski which comprises top and bottom metal parts connected to form a generally rectangular box section, said top part being flat and said bottom part being generally U-shaped in cross-section and comprising a bottom web, upright side walls having undulations extending transversely to the longitudinal direction and in an area extending to the underside of the web, and outwardly angled flanges at the top edges of said side walls, said flanges being connected to said top part to form side ledges protruding from said box section member on both 5 sides thereof, said ski further comprising edge strips extending throughout the length of the ski and covering said side walls, said edge strips extending upwardly beyond said side ledges and each of said edge strips being formed with a longitudinal groove in which one of said side ledges is received and secured to said edge strip.

2. A metal ski as set forth in claim 1, in which said edge strips consist of flexible light metal.

3. A metal ski as set forth in claim 1, in which said edge strips have a laterally outer boundary face each and said top part has edge portions forming a part of said side ledges, each of said edge strips being integrally formed at its top with at least one angle-shaped extension having first and second flanges forming sides of said groove, said first flange of each extension being aligned with said boundary face of the respective edge strip and said second flange of each extension embracing one of said edge portions.

4. A metal ski as forth in claim 3, in which each of said edge strips is formed with only one of said extensions, which extends continuously and substantially throughout the length of the ski.

5. A metal ski as set forth in claim 3, in which each of said edge strips is formed with a plurality of said extensions, which are longitudinally spaced apart.

6. A metal ski as set forth in claim 1, in which said side ledges are laterally outwardly tapered.

7. A metal ski as set forth in claim 1, in which said groove has a bottom and is tapered toward said bottom.

8. A metal ski as set forth in claim 1, in which said side ledges are clamped by said edge strips in said grooves.

9. A metal ski as set forth in claim 1, in which said side ledges are adhered to said edge strips in said grooves.

10. A metal ski as set forth in claim 1, in which said side ledges are clamped by and adhered to said edge strips in said grooves.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES, PATENTS 1,552,990 Hunt Sept. 8, 1925 1,886,650 Davies et al Nov. 8, 1932 3,074,732 Riha Jan. 22, 1963 FOREIGN PATENTS 271,014 Italy Jan. 27, 1930 213,291 Austria Feb. 10, 1961 

1. A METAL SKI WHICH COMPRISES TOP AND BOTTOM METAL PARTS CONNECTED TO FORM A GENERALLY RECTANGULAR BOX SECTION, SAID TOP PART BEING FLAT AND SAID BOTTOM PART BEING GENERALLY U-SHAPED IN CROSS-SECTION AND COMPRISING A BOTTOM WEB, UPRIGHT SIDE WALLS HAVING UNDULATIONS EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY TO THE LONGITUDINAL DIRECTION AND IN AN AREA EXTENDING TO THE UNDERSIDE OF THE WEB, AND OUTWARDLY ANGLED FLANGES AT THE TOP EDGES OF SAID SIDE WALLS, SAID FLANGES BEING CONNECTED TO SAID TOP PART TO FORM SIDE LEDGES PROTRUDING FROM SAID BOX SECTION MEMBER ON BOTH 